Lover's End
by alloreli
Summary: Everyone must die eventually. However, some die gracefully and others......well, others don't. Sortasequel to Insights


Happy Holidays everyone! I chose not to write a Christmas special because there are so many of them out there that there's really not a unique Christmas-themed plot-line anymore. However, I've been working on this for awhile and I decided to hurry up and finish it as a Christmas present for all my loyal readers! Luv ya!

Quick note: this is a sorta-sequal to "Insights" in the "Insights" touches on what might happen if Kikyo ever tried to take Inuyasha to hell. "Lover's End" is the story of what might happen.

WARNING: THIS FIC IS NOT FOR KIKYO FANS!!!! Kikyo also is incredibly OOC, unless you count the way she acts when she first comes back to life. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! NO FLAMING ME FOR OOC KIKYO!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and Co. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I do however, own an adorable drawing a friend made of me and Inu-chan. HA! You can't take it!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inuyasha and Co. were sitting in front of Kaede's hut, talking. Well, ok, they were actually arguing. There were rumors of a jewel shard in a town that was a three day's travel south. However, Kagome had some conflicting plans.

"Inuyasha, I HAVE to be back for a very important test in two days! I _can't_ go shard-hunting right now!"

"What's so important about these _tests_ you're always talking about? It's not like they affect your life."

"Don't affect my life? DON'T AFFECT MY LIFE???????????????????? Inuyasha, if I fail too many tests, I'll fail school. If I fail school, I can't get a job. If I don't get a job, I can't make money. If I can't make money, I can't buy food. If I can't buy food, I can't live! These tests are as important as you can get!!!!!!!!"

"Feh. You could just stay here and live with us the whole time," Inuyasha offered. "Then you wouldn't have to worry about _tests_ and _scool_."

Instead of calming Kagome, it only made her angrier. "Oh, you would just love that, wouldn't you!? Then I could spend the whole time looking for your precious Jewel shards!"

"Well, at least I'm not the one who broke the Jewel," he muttered. Unfortunately, it wasn't quiet enough.

"Inuyasha, SIT BOY! SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT (continues on for about five minutes) SIT!!!!!!"

"I think the village might need to rope that off," Miroku said, staring down into the newly formed crater. "Kagome, I would go home and take your test. Come back as soon as you're done."

Kagome nodded, and began walking towards the well. But as she walked, she saw a soul-collector fly overhead.

"Kikyo," she breathed, and began to follow the flying demon.

Meanwhile, back at the new, Inuyasha-shaped crater………

"Inuyasha, just let her go back," Miroku advised. "You must be a little more sensitive to Kagome's feelings.

"Why? It's not like it makes a difference in the end. She still leaves to go back to her own time," Inuyasha said as he pulled himself out of the giant hole.

"Inuyasha, Kagome cares for you a lot more then you know," Sango said.

"And how would you know?" Inuyasha snapped.

"She talks to me," Sango said simply.

"Yeah, I bet you have some cozy discussions with her when you're taking those baths," Inuyasha muttered.

"Inuyasha, there is much I could tell you about what Kagome has said. However………what happens in the hot springs stays in the hot springs," Sango told him.

Shippo jumped onto Inuyasha's shoulder. "Inuyasha you're such a dunce! It's obvious that Kagome has feelings for you."

"Hey, runt, watch what you……………." The hanyou's words began to trail off as he saw a snake-like demon flying overhead. He carefully pulled Shippo off his shoulder and placed him on the ground.

"Inuyasha, you mustn't go to Kikyo," Miroku warned.

"I have to," the hanyou said. "There's something I have to tell her." And he began running off into the woods.

He ran through, not heeding the branches that whipped by his face. He had made his final choice, and it was time to let Kikyo know.

He stepped into the clearing, the wind at his back. There, standing by the tree, was the undead miko. She stood, facing away from Inuyasha, with a bow hanging loosely from her hand and the quiver strapped to her back. She turned to gaze on him, her eyes seeming to be full of sorrow.

"Inuyasha," Kikyo said. "It is time."

"Time for what?" he asked, baffled.

"My body is wearing out," she informed him. "It is mere clay, unable to continue on for much longer."

"So, you're dying," Inuyasha asked, wanting proof of his conclusion.

"That is the simplest way to put it," the undead miko said. "When this body decays, my soul will return to Kagome's body. Unless…."

"Unless what?"

"Unless I force my soul to go to hell first," Kikyo said, and then it dawned on him.

"You want to take me to hell with you, don't you?"

"That is my wish."

"I'm sorry Kikyo, but I can't go, not now. It's too late; it's been too late since before you were resurrected."

"It's that girl, isn't it?" Kikyo said bitterly. "My reincarnation?"

"Yeah," Inuyasha said, and that simple answer carried much that had always been the hanyou had always left unspoken.

The wind shifted, blowing Inuyasha's hair away from his face and carrying with it the scent of only one who had the power to save him.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha said, a hint of surprise in his voice. He had no answer, only the rustling of the trees as someone ran through them and the crackling of the leaves on the ground as two feet ran across them.

Kikyo was smirking; she was aware of Kagome's presence the entire time. "You love her," said the undead miko. "But does she love you?"

Inuyasha didn't answer and didn't even hesitate to run after Kagome. He knew where she was headed.

Kikyo smirked and summoned her soul-catchers. She also knew where Kagome was going, but she would take her time. It would be interesting to see what would happen between the younger miko and the hanyou who claimed to love her.

Kagome quickly reached the Bone-eater's Well and was about to jump in it. But before she could, a pair of strong arms pulled her back and onto the grass.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said.

She hid her face from him, but it was futile. He gently, but firmly, pulled her face around until she was looking at him. Still, she kept her eyes downcast.

"Kagome, why did you run?" he asked, but she did not answer.

"Kagome," he said once more. "Kagome, you don't have to hide from me."

She still said nothing, but pulled her head away and buried it in his haori.

"All right, Kagome, you win," he said, and pulled her closer. They sat for a minute, enjoying the peace and quiet of the forest. Unfortunately, it could not last.

The birds sitting in the trees became agitated and flew from their perches as Kikyo came striding through the edge of the clearing, her soul-collectors gliding through the air around her and her bow in her hand. Inuyasha immediately stood up, pulling Kagome along with him. "Stay behind me," he warned. She nodded.

"Protecting your _wench_ now, are you?" Kikyo spat.

"Nobody hurts Kagome," Inuyasha barked back.

"Get out of the way," Kikyo commanded as she nocked an arrow.

"Kagome, run!" Inuyasha shouted as he charged the undead miko. The teenage girl quickly tried to dart out of the clearing. Unhappily, she could not escape Kikyo's soul-collectors, which swooped upon her and held her fast. Kikyo herself stretched out a hand and a barrier of pure spiritual energy sent Inuyasha flying.

"Inuyasha, if you come with me I will let the girl go," Kikyo stated calmly.

"I'd never go with a hunk of clay," Inuyasha growled.

"Then the girl dies," Kikyo hissed as she nocked another arrow. Inuyasha hurtled towards her once more, but the arrow was released before he got there. It flew swiftly towards Kagome, who was watching in horror.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" yelled Inuyasha in horror. But, to the amazement of all present, a bright spiritual barrier sprang up in front of the trapped girl, and Kikyo's arrow turned to ashes.

"You will not defeat me," Kikyo stated coldly. She began to fire a stream of arrows towards Kagome just as Inuyasha dashed towards her and knocked her over. He ran into her with such force that she was knocked to the ground and cracked her head on the tree behind her.

"Inuyasha….you've…..killed…..me…" Kikyo managed to say as her over-used clay body shattered.

"You were dead many years ago," Inuyasha said quietly.

As their mistress had died, the soul-collectors glided away from Kagome and let her free. She ran over to Inuyasha and held onto his arm.

"Come on," he said softly. "We need to get you home for your test. Climb on."

Kagome scrambled onto his back, and he ran towards the well. They arrived quickly, and Kagome slid off.

"I'll be back in a few days," she promised. "Don't worry; I'll be around to help find Shikon shards until the Jewel is finished."

"You'd better," he said. "Be safe, ok?" Then he hugged her. She returned the rare embrace.

"I will be," she said as she jumped into the well.

"If you're not back in three days, I'm coming for you," he called after her, but it was already too late, and he began walking towards the village to tell the others what had passed.

Once again, Merry Christmas. As always, please review!


End file.
